To Belong
by Jadet
Summary: Umm this is my first attempt at R.K so don't kill me. It's just a cute little story right after Kenji is born and Kenshin is still kinda shocked he is where he is. Hope you like it! ^.~


Disclaimers: Do not own R.K or any of its characters. I do this for fun not for money.  
  
Authors Notes: Ummmm... hi. I'm kinda new at R.K and this is my first ::wince:: attempt so please forgive me. Whatever I have used in here is strictly from what I've seen on the first (dubbed) tape and what I have read. Tho I have NO clue what dono or de gozaru mean, I hope I used them correctly. Would anyone be able to tell what they mean?? ::blush:: Anyway, I hope this doesn't make you all want to shoot me... my dog would be sad. Well enjoy. ^.~  
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"To Belong"  
A Rurouni Kenshin fanfic  
By Jadet 01'  
  
  
The room was unusually dark for the middle of the day but the pair of peeking eyes   
quickly adjusted to the dimness. Hesitantly the soft violet orbs sought out the object   
they were looking for and landed shyly on it.  
  
It leaned against the far wall, the curtains from the window above head billowing gently   
in the warm breeze. Nothing but the musical tinkling of the wind chime outside was   
heard in the small room.  
  
Fearfully the pair of eyes checked around the room as if they were doing something wrong   
by being here. Yet no demons or people jumped out from the waving shadows to chastise   
them or demand they leave. Still should they be here?  
  
Silently his feet decided for him and the watchful, protective eyes crept into the room   
guiltily, closing the screen all but an inch behind him. Faintly the violet eyes could   
hear someone moving around in the kitchen down the hallway but it wasn't loud enough to   
disturb the room's occupant. And it wasn't enough to make him loose his nerve and leave   
either. He almost wished it would but it didn't.  
  
Shaking his head at the foolish thought, the man padded quietly through the room, his   
pants swishing soundlessly around his ankles. It was only when he was leaning against   
the crib's wall that he relaxed slightly. Not enough to be caught unaware but enough so   
that his body wouldn't cramp from being so taunt. The man allowed his violet eyes to   
pick out the small form sleeping and smiled softly. Leaning his chin down on one of his   
battle scarred hands, he studied the baby wondrously.  
  
The infant boy was perfect in every way. Soft, dark brown curls graced the tip of his   
small head while his pudgy fists lay balled next to his face. A small blue blanket   
covered his lower body and moved slightly with every breath. His small little face   
radiated innocence and the man marveled at that.  
  
How could something so beautiful and pure come from him?  
  
The man raised his eyes from him sleeping son and rested them on the far wall.  
  
It still didn't seem real at times that he was actually standing where he was right now.   
After all those years as the Battousai or as a rurouni, he didn't ever think he would   
be able to stay in one place for more than a day. Even in his wildest, craziest,   
never-come-true dreams he never thought he would have a home, a family, love.   
  
Bloodstained hands stayed stained no matter how long someone lived. Stained hands had   
no business touching something pure. And that was what she and his son were. Pure. He   
didn't and never would really belong in their world.  
  
Yet the man found no matter how much he knew that was true, that he didn't really   
deserve to be here after all he had done, he couldn't bring himself not to reach down   
and run a finger against the infant's soft skin.  
  
His son moved slightly under his touch and he jerked his hand back as if had touched   
fire, watching guiltily as innocent blue eyes fluttered open.  
  
His mother's eyes. Hers held more wisdom than his son's, but they still retained the   
innocence that he had grown to love so much. Innocence that he could no longer say   
lived in his eyes. His hadn't held such a gift within him since long before he could   
remember. They had seen too much, done too much to ever possess it. Maybe that was why   
he valued it so much and wanted to protect it?  
  
Violet orbs were brought back down to the soft blue ones as the baby woke up. Yawning   
widely, the baby blinked sleepily at his father and grinned. The man grinned back but   
it was a nervous one. The infant was squirming now and lifting his arms, the sign he   
wanted to be held.  
  
Looking both ways nervously, the man hesitantly reached his arms in and brought the baby   
out with all the awkwardness he could manage. He had held children this small before,   
was actually very competent about it, but there was just something about holding your   
own child that turned you into all nervous jelly. Silly but very true.  
  
Yet despite the visible shaking of his father's arms, the baby yawned again and closed   
his eyes. He fell asleep again lulled by the safety and warmth of the arms cuddling him   
protectively.  
  
The man didn't know when but a wide smile worked its way onto his face as he stood   
holding his son in his arms.  
  
Tingly warmth and joy he had only recently become accustomed to seeping into every fiber   
of his body. Happily the man gazed down on the little boy, contentment flowing over his   
heart. Any doubts about whether he deserved to stand there or not faded from his mind   
for the moment. Everything he was concentrated only on the tiny miracle in his arms.  
  
He didn't know how long he stood there, staring down at his son silently, before he   
sensed someone standing in the doorway behind him. The man turned and smiled when wide,   
innocent blue eyes gazed at him lovingly.  
  
His wife stepped through the door as silently as he did a while ago and walked over to   
them.  
  
"So this is where you were Kenshin," she whispered, her musical lilting voice washing   
over him. He nodded silently and watched as she stepped closer, leaning over to smile   
at her son. Jasmine caressed his nostrils lightly and Kenshin smiled down at her as   
lovingly as she had just moments before. Her hair was down from her usual ponytail and   
thick blue-black strands flowed over her shoulders and down her back. She was wearing a   
dark blue kimono with a yellow and pink flower print that highlighted the flush of her   
cheeks. She always had a certain glow around her but now the glow of being a new mother   
added to it. There was no doubt in Kenshin's mind; Kaoru was the most beautiful woman   
in the world.  
  
Kaoru looked back up from her son and smiled gently, pushing back a stray ruby red lock   
of hair from his cheek. Kenshin smiled back.  
  
"Come watch the cherry blossoms with me?" Kaoru asked.  
  
Cherry blossoms were gorgeous this time of year, when the world seemed bright and new.   
It was Kenshin's favorite time of year and he enjoyed watching the soft pink blossoms   
fall and float on the wind. And it must also be close to dinner so the sun would be   
setting soon, turning the sky a fiery red. The best time of day.  
  
Kenshin nodded. "Hai."  
  
Kaoru smiled brightly and leaned again over her son, kissing his forehead softly.   
"Sleep well my little Kenji."  
  
Slowly, as to not wake him up, Kenshin carefully put his son back in his crib, then   
pulled the small blanket back up.  
  
"Kaoru-dono?" Kenshin whispered suddenly, looking at his son as if he were the most   
prized thing in Japan. Kaoru smiled and looked away from her son to her husband's   
strong profile. In the dim light she could barely make out the fading cross-shaped   
scar on his cheek.  
  
"Yes Kenshin?"  
  
"A... arigatou."  
  
Kaoru blushed lightly but smiled wider. "Dou ittashimashite, Kenshin. You are very   
welcome. Do you feel like you belong now?"  
  
A wry chuckle escaped his lips. Nothing he ever did or thought got past her did it?  
  
Kenshin nodded and turned back to face her, a soft smile on his face and violet eyes   
loving.  
  
"Hai."  
  
It was true, he finally did feel like he belonged somewhere. He belonged in the love   
that Kaoru showed in her eyes. He belonged in the innocent trust in his sons smile. He   
belonged in the worshipping gaze of Yahiko and in the friendship he saw in Sanosuke. He   
had finally found a place where he belonged.   
  
"Lets go watch the cherry blossoms now, de gozaru ka?"  
  
Kaoru's eyes shined. "Hai."  
  
Slipping an arm around her waist, Kenshin pulled her close and led her out of their   
son's room.  
  
Both his wife and his son had innocent blue eyes that he had sworn that he would   
protect. And he would protect them, with everything that he was. But right now he had   
to go watch the cherry blossoms fall and thank whoever was watching over him for   
bringing Kaoru and Kenji into his life.  
  
Through them he did, and always would, belong.  
  
~Owari~  



End file.
